Page 11 - N S Bendre - Selected Works 1935 - 1991

combined role of artist and journalist as a major rising star in the modern Indian art
with the tourism department of world, and he gained admiration from respected
Kashmir and, by the time he was back critics for his sensitive interplay of light, colour,
in Bombay, he had already received the and form.
appointment letter. During the 1940s, Bendre’s popularity
For the next three years, the flourished due to his undeniably fresh and
ethereal landscapes of Kashmir became experimentalist approach. In fact, 1943 was an
Bendre’s constant companion and important year for the artist as he exhibited his
muse. The stunning vistas provided works in his first solo exhibition in Bombay.
him the perfect backdrop for honing Renowned art critic Karl Khandavala inaugurated
his skill of rapid sketching, as he sought the show and praised Bendre for his versatility.
to capture the ever-shifting moods of The exhibition was also met with acclaim from
the valley. He also refined his use of other critics and patrons. The Times of India
gouache and experimented with tinted newspaper lauded him as one of the leading
paper to accentuate the atmospheric contemporary artists of his era, recognising his
tone of the region. The extraordinary unique ability to weave traditional themes with
beauty of Kashmir left a profound effect modern aesthetics.
on Bendre and the artistic sensibilities
that he had acquired there continued to
inform him throughout his career. The Artist Seeker
In the early 1940s, Bendre This was also a phase when Bendre’s role as
relocated to Madras for a brief period a mentor began to take shape. Teaching art
and ventured into art direction for a classes at his Dadar home, he nurtured several
film company. During this stay, he met young talents, including S B Palsikar, who later
fellow artist Mona, whom he would became the Dean of the Sir J J School of Art.
marry. Before returning to Bombay, His connection with artists from the younger
he painted several works capturing the generation also flourished. One such bond was
natural splendour of South India with with M F Husain. It was Bendre who, after
its tranquil coconut groves, bustling recognising Husain’s talent during an earlier
fishing boats, idyllic shorelines and the meeting, convinced his father to let him pursue The artist
rich culture of the communities. formal training. This gesture marked the coach: Bendre
with a group of
In 1941, the coveted Gold Medal beginning of a lifelong friendship with Husain. students during
from the Bombay Art Society for his The year 1945 was yet another important an open-air study
watercolour work secured his position year. The Bombay Art Society conferred on session, circa 1960

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